Test strip cassettes, also known as flow immunochromatographic assays, are basic diagnostic instruments to detect the presence (or absence) of a target analyte in sample (matrix). They are commonly used for medical diagnostics either for home testing, point of care testing, or laboratory use. They can also be used for drug test, food test, water test, etc.
For some test strip cassettes, the color intensities of the bands have to exceed certain cutoff threshold values to indicate positive or negative test results. So it is important to accurately determine the intensity values for these test strips. There are dedicated machines for accurately reading the test strip results. These machines can control the testing lightning condition, are sensitive to test strip intensity changes, and have computational and reporting capabilities. But these machines are typically expensive and cumbersome to move, and requires professional training on how to operate the machines.